And Kean feels he can understand why the spot-kick was given, but he believes ten similar offences occur every game and should also be penalised if that is the stance referees take.

Kean said: “I just asked [Clattenburg] what was the reason for giving the penalty kick and he said Grant Hanley had both hands around Aaron Hughes and that was enough to give the penalty.

“I’ve looked at it again in slow motion and I think technically he’s right, there is contact, but my question to him was, if you give that penalty you probably have to give ten in every single game, every single week, there is always contact, but Mark thought it was aggressive enough and we’ll have to respect that.

“I respect referees, I would never give them a hard time because I think they’ve got the hardest job in the world but you have to get what their take is on each decision.

“It was a big one today, we’re disappointed with the decision but we respect the fact that he’s made the call and that’s what we’ll have to live with.”